


A Little Romp with Lightening

by ashes0909



Category: Avengers Academy (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bodyswap, Jealousy, M/M, Plot and Fluff, Telepathic Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:48:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26639095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashes0909/pseuds/ashes0909
Summary: “You’re wearing my face.” Tony pushed out of the hug and blinked, unseeing for a moment and thenhewas there again, right in front of him. Standing tall, shoulders back, posture straight like he wore the entire Academy on his back, but it didn’t weigh him down in the slightest. Tony never remembered appearing that composed in the face of calamity.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 18
Kudos: 80
Collections: Stuckony Summer Stocking 2020





	A Little Romp with Lightening

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ladysunflower](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladysunflower/gifts).
  * In response to a prompt by [ladysunflower](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladysunflower/pseuds/ladysunflower) in the [stuckony_summer_stocking_2020](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/stuckony_summer_stocking_2020) collection. 



> Writren for the short prompt Soulmate bodyswap. Hope you enjoy!

**~Tony as Tony~**

Under his red and gold zip-up, Tony’s soulmarks itched along his chest. He scratched next to the arc reactor and searched for Steve and Bucky across the courtyard. Something wasn’t right, the clouds over the Academy were purple, with flickers of an unnatural red lightning. 

“What are those AIM scientists up to now?” he asked under his breath. “No doubt something I’m going to have to fix.”

“Tony!” The phantom itch from one of his marks disappeared as Bucky came into view, his shoulder length hair blowing in the wind from the clouds. “What’s going on? Where’s--”

“--Steve?”

Lightning danced across the sky accompanied by a loud jolt of a sparkling red bolt. 

“Think he’s trying to throw his shield at whatever’s causing that?” Bucky pointed to the sky, even as he shook his head. 

“We’d feel an adrenaline rush that wild from him,” Tony replied.

“So, where is he?”

Another bolt of lightning struck, this time hitting the clock tower on the other side of the grassy courtyard. The last of the students were scattering, bags over their head as rain tinted red fell from the sky. 

“That can’t be good,” Tony observed. A few drops landed on Bucky’s outstretched hand and he rubbed them together on his hand. A twist of unease floated between their bond. 

“Doesn’t seem to be acid or anything.”

“That doesn’t mean it's not dangerous.” 

“Buck! Tony!” The both turned to see Steve rushing out from the front of the clock tower. Neither of them said anything, they didn’t have to, they just took off, dashing across the lawn to their soulmate. Tony’s heartbeat echoed in his ears with each step, the panic and relief bouncing between them, Steve’s own fear flooding the bond the closer they got. 

“What’s happening?” Steve shouted, wiping some of the red tinted rain from his bangs. 

“We thought maybe you knew,” Bucky replied. 

“What’s in there?” Tony asked. 

“AIM.” Both Tony and Bucky’s stomach dropped. Steve must’ve felt it because he winced. “Yeah.” He nodded back towards the doors. “I took two out before a half a dozen more flooded the lobby. Even I don’t like those odds.”

“They’re a bit better now.” Bucky gestured to the three of them, a spark of adrenaline mixing in with the rest of their blended emotions. The bond vibrated between them, now that they were each in close proximity. The familiar sensation of Steve’s righteous responsibility lit through it. Tony shared a glance with Bucky, both of them knowing what was about to come. 

“We need to help them.” Steve mine as well have his shield in hand, he looked so ready for a battle. Tony glanced at the sky, back at the clock tower. He really didn’t like the look of that lightning. 

“Six, you said?” Bucky asked. “We can take that.” 

“I have my blasters. Came prepared, since I always seem to be following you two into fights--” 

It was like all the oxygen snapped from their spot on the lawn in front of the clock tower. A silence unlike Tony had ever heard before, and their bond rushed with a cold, foreboding dread. The fine hairs on his arms started to lift, and there was a split second where Tony knew what was going to happen, but there was nothing he could do.

The red bolt of lightning struck into the grass right between the three of them. White-red light, fire heat, and Tony was lifted off his feet. 

The last thing he sensed was his soulmates’ fear. 

**~Steve as Tony~**

Steve blinked his eyes open, the stiff sheets under his fingertips more than enough for him to realize he was in the Academy hospital. His hand instinctively went to his chest, where the names of his soulmates rested over his heart. They hummed, tingling under his touch, but there were no rushes of emotions--his soulmates were alive, but nowhere near him physically.

He shifted and the bed hardly creaked under him, unlike the last time he was here and the bedframe shook under his weight. Sitting up, it felt larger and when he reached out for his shield where they usually kept it on the side of the bed in the Academy hospital, his fingers brushed against open air. He took a deep breath and felt a very unfamiliar weight on his chest, even if the blue light emanating from it was more than recognizable. Something was wrong. Standing did nothing to make him feel any more normal; his line of sight was lower than it should be. 

Steve stumbled forward, into the bathroom, and came face to face with Tony Stark’s reflection in the mirror. The arc reactor planted in the center of his chest, covered by a hospital robe. 

Steve jolted backwards, into the hospital room, frantically searching for something that made sense. On the chair, folded in a pile were his soulmate’s clothes - the familiar zip up jacket and t-shirt. He quickly pulled them on and ran from the room. It was only when he turned the corner that he realized running may be suspicious so he slowed down. 

Soulmates name on his chest---and how wild to think he currently wore his own name, even if it seemed tied to his soulmate’s essence. His finger traced over the names through his shirt, unsure which letters it was but he could feel that its corresponding soulmate was quickly coming towards him. Steve followed the invisible thread, the connection between them around another corner and came face to face with Bucky. 

He knew immediately. Not from the bond but from the set of his shoulders and the way his finger picked at his thumb, staring at Steve, dumbfounded. Steve took a step forward and pulled him into a hug, breathing,

“Tony.”

**~Tony as Bucky~**

“You’re wearing my face.” Tony pushed out of the hug and blinked, unseeing for a moment and then _he_ was there again, right in front of him. Standing tall, shoulders back, posture straight like wore the entire Academy on his back but it didn’t weigh him down in the slightest. Tony never remembered appearing that composed in the face of calamity.

“Steve,” Tony breathed out of Bucky’s lips. This was one confusing AIM Event. Tony would laugh if he could do anything other than gape at one of his soulmates, wearing his face. 

“What’s going on, Tony?” 

It’s a question he’d heard asked countless times. Hell, Steve had asked him a variation of that this afternoon during-- “The lightning storm. It has to be connected. We--”

“Need to find Bucky,” they said together. 

“I guess that means...” Steve swallowed. “We need to find me.”

Tony’s mind raced through the possibilities. The lightning, AIM. “And get to the clock tower.”

“The clock tower?” 

“It’ll have answers. Or, at least, it will have clues and my laboratory will have answers.”

**~Bucky as Steve~**

Bucky knew immediately he was in another body. He didn’t wake up in the hospital, even though the pounding in his head and shoulder made it feel like he should’ve. As soon as he blinked his eyes open, he ran his hands over his face and they immediately felt off.

His brain tried to convince them they were Steve’s hands but that didn’t make any sense. Except, even when he’d forgotten everything, he remembered the way his soulmates’ palms felt as they grasped his own, as they ran calloused fingers across his face.

“Fuck,” Bucky swore to the bush he must have landed in. 

His soulmarks itched. 

Pushing himself to his feet, he pulled his shirt forward enough to confirm his suspicions - Steve’s chest, with his own and Tony’s names etched across them. At first he thought the itch was like any other bruise or sore he’d received from, presumably, getting struck by lightning and then flung into a bush. But the itching turned to humming and he followed the sensation back towards the courtyard.

At the far end, two figures that appeared to be himself and Tony were running straight towards him. They seemed to be focused on the clock tower but as they approached, their attention and direction swung to him. Watching his own eyes widen in shock was humorous, but watching Steve cross his arms across his chest and leave too much space between said arms and chest because said arms and chest were actually _Tony’s_ \--- Bucky might have to take a moment to process this.

“It’s bad,” Tony informed him from within Steve, not giving him a moment at all. 

“I’m pretty sure we stood right here and were practically struck by lightning.” Bucky looked around the Academy lawn. “Are we sure this isn’t just a crazed fuel dream?”

“We’re on our way to the clock tower to find out,” his own voice replied. Then, his own hand slid into the one he currently possessed, lifting it to kiss the back of it. He watched as his other hand reached for Steve’s, squeezing twice like Tony always did when he held their hands. 

“Tony.” Steve’s fear mixed into their bond, making Tony’s voice waver.

“We’re okay,” Bucky said, trying to sound as sure and as certain as he knew Steve’s voice could sound. “Physically, we could be a lot worse off after lightning.”

“When did you become Mr. Brightside?” Tony lifted Steve’s eyebrow. 

“Must be all the Steve-ness seeping in.” Bucky shot them both a half-smile. “We won’t know the full picture until we head in there.” He pointed to the clock tower, and through their bond he felt each of their stomachs drop and unease surge. 

**~Tony as Bucky~**

The door to the clock tower creaked open and Tony took a step forward. Having his soulmates by his side steadied his stride, because everything could be completely fucked up but at least they were here with him, bond intact. 

There were half a dozen AIM Agents out cold. Tony figured, based off the fact that no one had moved them, that they’d only been in the hospital for a couple of hours. The lightning strike that took them out could’ve released enough voltage to backfire and shutter whatever mechanism started the storm. Steve and Bucky moved in one fluid motion around him, even with their new size difference, watching them systematically check the pockets of each AIM uniform while confiscating weapons was like admiring dancers performing a well-loved ballet. 

Tony had his part in their dance too, he walked up the clock tower stairs, knowing that his soulmates had his back and that no one other than them would make it up the stairs after him. 

If there was anyone on the top of the clock tower--Tony flexed Bucky’s muscles--he would be able to handle it. His heart raced as the circling stairwell twisted upward. Below, he could feel his soulmates’ concern and he took a deep breath to settle himself. 

In the end, when he pushed open the door at the top of the stairs, the small room was empty of anyone else. There was something in it though, a large cylinder made out of metal. Parts of the container were cut away in giant spheres, leaving windows for Tony to peer inside the device. It seemed to be dormant, whatever cranking and charging the machine had been doing had otherwise stopped. 

There was a desk pushed against one of the stone walls of the octagon shaped room. Tony walked over and dragged Bucky’s fingers over the contents of the desktop. They were rougher than he was used to, pulling at the pages with less pressure than he expected. But Tony was a genius when it came to formulas and that was what filled the entire notebook. It had sketches and observations of the machine behind him, the one he was now certain caused this whole debacle in the first place. 

Was the owner of this notebook unconscious on the ground floor with their soulmates? Were their soulmates any of the people out cold beside them? Maybe it was a pair or triad that had penned these observations, even if the handwriting appeared to be just one of them. Though, Tony wasn’t certain his own handwriting would look the same, if he were to try to write through Bucky’s hand. 

Tony flipped the pages, searching for answers. If there were any, this would be where they’d be waiting for him. It appeared this was the third test, the first one outside of their dungeon of science-y doom. It hadn’t gone as the AIM scientists had hoped, but based on the calculations, it went as mathematically expected. 

AIM was trying to swap soulmates. There were dozens of reasons why Tony could think they’d want to utilize that ability, and none of them were comforting. What was comforting was that it seemed like every time they tried to perform the swap, within 24 hours, the effects always wore off, and everyone’s consciousness returned to their rightful place. 

Relief flooded him and, subsequently, their bond, and two rushes of curiosity replied. Tony scratched over the names on Bucky’s chest--one of them his own, still caused his mind to flip--as he slid the journal into his back pocket. He pulled his phone out of his other pocket and snapped a few photos of the machine before heading downstairs. 

**~Steve as Tony~**

Steve pushed back the last of the unconscious AIM scientists and, sliding a taser he had in his possession over to Bucky. 

“Well,” he heard his own voice say to him, “if one of them wakes up, I’ll be able to tase them enough to shock them into someone else's body and return the favor.”

“I still wish we had something to use to tie them up.” 

Bucky shrugged. “We could tie their shoelaces together.”

“I’m pretty sure their uniform uses velcro, or something.” They both fell silent, focus shifting to the top of the clocktower. “He may be long. One of us should keep watch.”

“Neither of us have a good chance if all of them wake up but--”

“I’ll take watch.” Steve had no desire to hear Bucky argue that he, in Steve’s own body, was better able to handle AIM scientists attacking, than Tony’s body which Steve currently occupied. Before Bucky could even reply, he slid out the clock tower doors. 

Anxiety ran under his skin and into the bond. There wasn’t anyone around, but Steve hated the waiting part-- though, Steve considered, that probably meant that Tony had found something useful. His contribution to their bond seemed calm, intent, humming like it did when he was focused on something in the laboratory. 

A snap of a stick and a young woman came around the corner. He’d never seen her before but something about her prickled the skin on the back of Tony’s neck. She was tall in heels, taller than Steve was right now, and when she stopped in front of Steve, she looked down at him with piercing eyes, for a moment, just before her face transformed with a flirtatious smirk. 

“Can I help you?” Tony’s tone took on an obviously displeased tone, one Steve had tried to hide. He’d never seen her around the Academy before and with her being near the clock tower, she was undeniably involved. 

“I think maybe you can.” She stepped even closer, running a finger down his arm. Steve flinched away and she laughed. “You offered.” Her eyebrow rose. 

“I offered you directions out of the Academy,” Steve clarified.

“Ah, well,” she said with another smirk and a wandering gaze. Steve assessed his chances if he charged her. She was taller and about as lean as he was, muscles on display like an accessory for her tight dress and heels. Maybe he could flirt back, and then when she wasn’t paying attention he could make his move. 

“See,” she continued. “I wasn’t looking for directions out of the Academy.” She leaned in so her lips brushed against his ear. He didn’t flinch, too stunned by her blatantly suggestive behavior. A passing thought made him wonder how often people approached Tony like this, he was extremely attractive, with a smile that could draw anyone in. Steve absolutely trusted Tony, and he also absolutely trusted Tony to be a flirt. 

A bang from behind him drew his attention. His soulmates slipped out the door and froze at the sight of the pair. 

Bucky’s body stepped forward, a smirk sliding on his face that was all Tony. “What have we here? Isn’t this a sight?” His eyes danced with mischief. “Why did no one tell me I looked so good when I flirted?”

Stumbling back from the woman, Steve made his way over to his soulmates. Relief and mirth and a spark of jealousy blended into the bond, and from inside Steve’s own body, Bucky snorted, wrapping an arm around his waist and pulling him close. “Leave it to you to find some trouble.”

Steve’s eyebrows flew up. “Me? Blame Tony! He’s the one getting hit on.”

“Hey!” 

“Excuse me, boys.” The woman waved. 

**~Bucky as Steve~**

Bucky nudged Steve towards Tony and took a step towards the woman. He brought Steve’s hands together then cracked his knuckles. He could take the lady, and that’s what would happen if she threatened him or his soulmates. 

“How can I--” 

But Bucky was interrupted. “That’s enough, Rogers.” 

From around the corner Fury and about a dozen agents behind him. “Who are you?” He asked the woman. 

“Jane.” She smirked. “Doe. And you?” 

“I’m the Director of SHIELD, Leader of Avengers, Loser of Patience." Fury narrowed his eyes and Bucky couldn’t help taking another step forward. “I said that’s enough, Rogers,” Fury repeated with his gaze still on the woman. 

“Fine.” Bucky stood down as the agents ran forward and apprehended the stranger at Fury’s signa. “It’s Barnes, by the way.” 

Fury’s gaze finally swung to him, then his soulmates, then back to the woman. “What did you three get into?”

Tony stepped forward, holding out a notebook. 

“Let me guess,” Fury said as he took it, flipping through the pages. “You’re Stark?”

“Got it in one.” He tapped the open page. “And according to this I’ll be back in that body--” he pointed towards Steve “--within 24 hours.”

Fury shook his head. “It’s always you three. Get back to the dorm and wait it out. Head to me if you’re not put back to rights by tomorrow.” 

“And AIM?” Steve asked. 

Fury turned towards Bucky’s determined gaze, Steve shining through. “We’ll handle it, and call in the Academy’s Avengers squad if needed.”

Steve nodded and started walking past the clock tower on the way to the dorm, Tony on his heel. Bucky followed, the adrenaline bouncing between them from the confrontation with AIM, the woman.

He wasn’t the only one grateful to find the dorm empty. 

**~Tony as Bucky~**

“I’m not a fan of leaving Fury to handle everything.” Tony threw himself on the sofa, trying to fit a leg under him but finding Bucky’s too bulky.

“Your pout on my face, is…” Bucky trailed off.

“Adorable?” Steve supplied.

Bucky pulled at Steve’s hand, and Tony watched his smaller frame collapse in Steve-ala Bucky’s lap. “You’re the one getting hit on by gorgeous women.” 

“I do believe it was Tony--” Steve’s protest was cut off by Bucky kissing him with Steve’s lips. Still standing in front of the couch, Tony felt the faint tingle of a phantom touch against his mouth. He watched his soulmates’ brief kiss end and they turned to look at him, reaching out in unison. 

Tony let them pull him into the middle of their embrace, and even though he was basically the largest of the three of them, they still wrapped their arms around him like he was still in his own body. It felt comforting, like home, and he realized how much he needed it. 

“What a mess,” Tony said into his own shoulder. It vibrated as Steve hummed in agreement. Tony poked him. “And you must be exhausted, when was the last time a random stranger got all predatorial with you? Not since your last growth spurt, I bet.”

From behind him, Bucky moved Steve’s hands to his side and squeezed. “And how often does it happen to you?”

“Ah,” Tony said through a smirk. “So it was you who was jealous?” he asked Bucky. “Or you?” he turned to Steve.

Steve lifted his gaze and met Tony’s. His own inquisitive brown eyes found him. “You get hit on like that often, Tony?” 

“Yes.” Tony winked. “Don’t you love your man hot?” 

They both laughed, Steve shaking his head. “Oh, come here.” And then Steve was kissing him, the bond open and coursing their love and reassurance, relief. Bucky ran hands up their backs as tongues twisted together.

Bucky cleared Steve’s throat. “You two look--this is so weird. And hot.”

Tony broke away and kissed Bucky with his own lips. 

“Yeah.” That was Tony’s own husky voice, but the slightly awed tinge was all Steve. “The bond feels normal, but everything else…” He shook his head. “We should go upstairs.” 

Bucky laughed. “Tony? Being the responsible one?” 

Tony flicked Bucky off with Steve’s hand. “Never.” He looked towards the stairwell. “But I am interested in getting us enough space to be horizontal.” 

“Always a genius.”

**~Tony as Tony~**

Tony blinked his eyes open. He was in the arms of his soulmates, in one of the three beds they shared in the Academy dorm. His arc reactor illuminated the dark room and Tony touched Steve’s chest, ran a finger down Bucky’s side, with his own hand. Their bond hummed, calm between them. 

“Yeah,” he told the otherwise empty room, “we’re never doing that again.”


End file.
